1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to the field of managing rights in digital information over a network, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for managing rights in digital information over a network through the use of a physical object.
2. Description of the Related Art
The digital revolution has brought with it a proliferation of devices suitable for accessing digital information of various types, for example, DVDs, music videos, electronic books, digital files, and MP3 files. The possession of multi-media playback devices, brings with it a need for multi-media content in many different forms. Traditionally, such content is distributed in device-specific physical objects, for example, a digital versatile disk for playing in a DVD player, a compact disk for playing in a CD player, a video cassette for playing in a VCR, etc. This traditional distribution paradigm fails to take full advantage of the availability of modern distribution avenues such as the internet, and follows instead the more traditional distribution avenues which generally require a physical inventory of tangible objects containing digital information for distribution of the content. Thus, even now, in an era of burgeoning digital entertainment, retail music stores (for example) must maintain a large inventory of various kinds of physical objects in which the information is published (CDs, DVDs, video cassettes, audio cassettes, etc.). This inventory requires a great deal of cost and effort to manufacture, package, distribute, store and display. It is also duplicative, where stock of different versions of the same information must be maintained (e.g. the same movie in VHS and DVD format).
It would be advantageous if the need to maintain a physical inventory of different media was minimized, so that a user could buy a single physical object which would carry within with it access to desired information content in whatever form may be desired.
There is therefore a need to provide a more efficient way of delivering information content to the marketplace, by providing means for publishing that information utilizing modern distribution avenues, such as the internet, without the need to have that information physically embodied in a tangible medium while maintaining the ability to buy and sell physical objects. With this need, there is also a need to ensure that the distribution and access to the information is arranged securely, to minimize the unauthorized distribution and use of such information, i.e. piracy.